Like his predecessors, Magnus III seems to
have found himself in the awkward position of being bound to serve two
masters who were rapidly approaching a state of war with each other.
Freskin de Moravia, _dominus_ de Duffus by 1248, who about that date
had married the Lady Johanna, had with her obtained not only her lands
in Strathnaver and Caithness, but also the bulk of the Erlend share
of the earldom lands of Caithness, while Magnus held the rest of
Caithness, and William, second Earl of Sutherland, then a mere boy,
had succeeded to that earldom on his father's death in 1248.[11]
As already stated, Alexander II's attempt on the Sudreys had proved
abortive through his death in 1249, and the further attacks on them
in Alexander III's reign by William, son of Ferchar Mac-in-tagart, and
Earl of Ross, had been made in 1261; and by 1262 or 1263, Freskin
had died, leaving two daughters Mary and Christian, both minors and
unmarried, to inherit his share of Caithness, as co-parceners, each
entitled to one quarter of that county.
Early in 1263 Magnus III of Orkney and Caithness, was in Bergen with
King Hakon. For the Saga says,[12] "with him from Bergen came Magnus,
Jarl of Orkney, and the king gave him a good long-ship.
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